INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, MANAGING METHOD, COMPUTER-READABLE RECODING MEDIUM STORING MANAGING PROGRAM THEREIN, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS

• US 20090024771A1
• Filed: 09/25/2008
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Client Computing Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: AIDA, Kouichi, KOIKE, Nobuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,335,869 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/74 operating in dual or compartmented mode, i.e. at least one secure mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/78 to assure secure storage of data address-based protection against unauthorised use of memory G06F12/14; record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/81 by operating on the power supply, e.g. enabling or disabling power-on, sleep or resume operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/85 interconnection devices, e.g. bus-connected or in-line devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2151 Time stamp

Abstract

The information processing apparatus includes: a connection unit which an electronic apparatus is adapted to be communicably coupled to; a connection detecting unit which detects coupling of the electronic apparatus to the connection unit; a timer which measures a time duration that elapses under a connection state, in which the electronic apparatus is engaged; and an alerting unit which alerts a user of the information processing apparatus when it is detected by the timer that a predetermined time duration elapses. With this arrangement, it is possible to prevent forgetting to disengage the electronic apparatus from the information processing apparatus, and the convenience of handling of the electronic apparatuses is improved.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a connection unit which an electronic apparatus is adapted to be communicably coupled to;

a connection detecting unit which detects coupling of the electronic apparatus to said connection unit;

a timer which measures a time duration that elapses under a connection state, in which the electronic apparatus is coupled; and

an alerting unit which alerts a user of the information processing apparatus when it is detected by said timer that a predetermined time duration elapses.

2. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an alert controlling unit which is capable of restraining the alert given by said alerting unit,

said alert controlling unit restraining the alert given by said alerting unit, if a user of the information processing apparatus is a specific authorized user relating to the information processing apparatus when said timer detects that the predetermined time duration elapses.

3. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an unused state detecting unit which detects transition of the information processing apparatus to an unused state thereof by the user,

said alerting unit giving the alert when said unused state detecting unit detects the transition of the information processing apparatus to the unused state thereof.

4. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 3, said unused state detecting unit detecting the transition of the information processing apparatus to the unused state thereof by means of detecting power-off of the information processing apparatus.

5. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 3, said unused state detecting unit detecting the transition of the information processing apparatus to the unused state thereof by means of detecting shifting of the information processing apparatus into a power-saving operation mode.

6. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 3, further comprising:

a user detecting unit which detects existence of a user of the information processing apparatus,

said unused state detecting unit detecting the transition of the information processing apparatus to the unused state thereof at the time the existence of the detected user is not anymore detected by said user detecting unit.

7. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a first user confirming unit which confirms that a user of the information processing apparatus is the specific authorized user relating to the information processing apparatus.

8. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said alert controlling unit restraining an alert given by said alerting unit when the electronic apparatus coupled to the information processing apparatus is an electronic apparatus of the specific authorized user.

9. A managing method for use in an information processing apparatus including a connection unit which an electronic apparatus is adapted to be communicably coupled to, said method comprising:

(a) detecting coupling of the electronic apparatus to the connection unit;

(b) measuring an elapse time duration that elapses under a connection-established state, in which the electronic apparatus is coupled to the electronic apparatus, from when the connection with the electronic apparatus is detected in said step (a); and

(c) giving a user of the information processing apparatus an alert when it is detected that a predetermined time duration that elapses in said step (b).

10. A managing method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising:

(d) restraining the alert given in said step (c),

wherein, in said step (d), the alert given in said step (c) is restrained, if a user of the information processing apparatus is confirmed to be a specific authorized user relating to the information processing apparatus when it is detected that the predetermined time duration elapses in said step (b).

11. A managing method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising:

(e) detecting transition of the information processing apparatus to an unused state thereof by the user,

wherein the alert is given in said step (c) when the transition of the information processing apparatus to an unused state thereof is detected in said step (e).

12. A managing method as set forth in claim 11, wherein, in said step (e), the transition of the information processing apparatus to the unused state thereof is detected by means of detecting power-off of the information processing apparatus.

13. A managing method as set forth in claim 11, wherein, in said step (e), the transition of the information processing apparatus to the unused state thereof is detected by means of detecting shifting of the information processing apparatus into a power-saving operation mode.

14. A managing method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising:

(f) detecting existence of a user of the information processing apparatus,

wherein the transition of the information processing apparatus to the unused state thereof is detected in said step (e) at the time the existence of the user detected in said step (f) is not detected anymore.

15. A managing method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising:

(g) confirming that a user of the information processing apparatus is the specific authorized user.

16. A computer-readable recording medium in which a managing program for a computer to execute a managing function is recorded, wherein the program instructs the computer, having a connection unit to which an electronic apparatus is adapted to be communicably coupled, to execute the steps of:

(a) detecting coupling of the electronic apparatus to the connection unit;

(b) measuring an elapse time duration that elapses under a connection-established state, in which the electronic apparatus is coupled to the electronic apparatus, from when the connection with the electronic apparatus is detected in the step (a); and

(c) giving a user of the information processing apparatus an alert when it is detected that a predetermined time duration elapses in the step (b).

17. An electronic apparatus having a communication unit for communicably coupling the electronic apparatus to an information processing apparatus, said electronic apparatus comprising:

a connection detecting unit which detects coupling of the electronic apparatus to the information processing apparatus via the communication unit;

a timer which measures an elapse time duration that elapses under a connection-established state, in which the electronic apparatus is coupled to the information processing apparatus, from when said connection detecting unit detects the connection of the communication unit to the information processing apparatus; and

an alerting unit which gives a user of the electronic apparatus an alert when it is detected by said timer that a predetermined time duration elapses.

18. An electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 17, further comprising:

an alert controlling unit which is capable of restraining the alert given by said alerting unit,

said alert controlling unit restraining the alert given by said alerting unit, if a user of the information processing apparatus is a specific authorized user relating to the electronic apparatus when said timer detects that the predetermined time duration elapses.

19. An electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 18, further comprising:

a user confirming unit which confirms that a user of the information processing apparatus is a specific authorized user relating to the information processing apparatus.

20. An electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 18, said alert controlling unit restraining the alert given by said alerting unit in a case where the electronic apparatus is an electronic apparatus of the specific authorized user.